Orrin Hatch: “the American people deserve an accounting of what happened on the floor this morning. The citizens of Utah, whom I am…”

“the American people deserve an accounting of what happened on the floor this morning. The citizens of Utah, whom I am honored to represent, and citizens all over this country thought the Senate would be voting on the cut, cap, and balance bill later this week. I am an original cosponsor of this bill in the Senate. I have signed the cut, cap, and balance pledge. I have always supported a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. This year, it is one of my proudest achievements to have introduced S. J. Res. 10, a balanced budget amendment that is supported by every Republican in this body for the first time in all the balanced budget amendments brought to this floor. It is the strongest balanced budget amendment ever written--one that fundamentally deals with our spending crisis. I am honored to have worked with my colleague and friend from Utah, Senator Lee, in crafting this amendment. We worked with Senator Cornyn and 44 other Republicans as well. I am honored to be working with old and new friends, such as Senators Cornyn, Kyl, Paul, Toomey, Rubio, and many other Republicans in pursuing this constitutional amendment for the American people. The cut, cap, balance legislation the Senate tabled today culminates in a balanced budget amendment, but also includes the short-term deficit reduction that families and markets are demanding. Cut, cap, balance provides meaningful deficit reduction for the next year and spending caps for the years that follow.…”